


Blurred Lines

by Arthuria_PenDragon



Series: The Path of Ninshū [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ancestors, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bonds, Bonds Beyond Death, Bonds Beyond Time, Companion Piece, Dead People, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Feels, Flashbacks, Forgiveness, Gen, Generation Gap, Ghosts, Grief/Mourning, Halloween, Halloween 2020, Halloween Special, Halloween Special for Ōtsutsuki Legacy, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Memorials, Memories, Midnight, Night, Non-Linear Narrative, Past, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Rememberance, Repentance, Spirits, Spiritual, Step-parents, Step-siblings, Two Shot, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, i guess, maybe angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27131584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arthuria_PenDragon/pseuds/Arthuria_PenDragon
Summary: It is the night of the dead – a night to remember and to mourn. For Naruto and Sasuke it doesn't go as planned.Sometimes great power or wishes coming from the very bottom of one's heart, burls certain lines.Tonight those lines are almost non-existent.(You might want to read the Notes)
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Namikaze Minato, Hatake Kakashi & Namikaze Minato & Uzumaki Kushina & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto, Kanna & Ootsutsuki Asura, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Ootsutsuki Asura, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Minato & Uzumaki Kushina & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Hagoromo, Ootsutsuki Asura & Original Character(s), Ootsutsuki Asura & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Hagoromo & Ootsutsuki Indra, Ootsutsuki Indra & Original Character(s), Ootsutsuki Indra & Shachi, Ootsutsuki Indra & Uchiha Sasuke, Senju Clan & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Clan & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Fugaku & Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Mikoto & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Clan & Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto & Uzumaki Kushina & Uzumaki Mito
Series: The Path of Ninshū [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985195
Comments: 16
Kudos: 66





	1. Paper fan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ayaMASO](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayaMASO/gifts).



> So, a little 🎃 Halloween Special 🎃 for "Ōtsutsuki Legacy"! Hope you'll enjoy :D
> 
> SHOUTOUT!  
> This is my Halloween Gift to you Tiwi ;)  
> For all the crazy ideas you gave me and for all the laughter, since we started chatting. I never knew how much fun it was, to have a "pen-pal" and then you appeared...  
> Also, I hope this will inspire you, Tiwi, to start writing/drawing again. Well, I hope it will help you to be creative in general... again!
> 
> ALSO, please note, that the two chapters happen (mostly) at the same time – one evening/night/dawn– at two different parts of Konohagakure.
> 
> —()—()—()—()—()—  
> Fair warning... I don't know what THIS is. I was sleep deprived, when this plot bunny appeared out of nowhere and I was also kind of running on very little sleep in the following days/nights, when I actually typed this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ALTERNATE CHAPTER TITLE:
> 
> Wherein Ōtsutsuki Indra (ALIAS Uchiha Sasuke) Misses His Long Hair and Afforementioned Missed Long Hair Gets an Entire Paragraph

SO, BEFORE YOU START, HERE IS A KEY TO THE STORY:

“Rikudō Sennin” — normal/ living person speech

 _“Rikudō Sennin”_ — _italics/_ spirit person speech

 ** _“Rikudō Sennin“_** — **_bold italics/_** ancient language (a paragraph)

 _(Rikudō Sennin)_ — _(italics in brackets)_ /flashback, memory of past life

In some other places, **bold** or **_bold italics_** also appear, just one or two in a sentence. Those are emphasised/shouted words :)

* * *

It was a clear, chilly night – the waning crescent of the Moon hangig above– and the memorial grounds of the Uchiha Clan were deathly quiet. When they had passed the entrance, seeing the _uchiwa_ carved into the wood had sent a small shiver trough Sasuke.

It was the night of the dead – a night to remember and mourn. He didn't really want to come... he had little to mourn, but his own stupidity. And he’d rather not dwell on such thoughts, lest he went down a dark path even now, when he was walking — voluntarily— in the light. It was time to let those ghosts be. He didn’t want to think of the dead, because it would bring back unwanted memories. _(The_ _Ōtsutsuki Compound consumed by his White Flames... his deadly calashes with Asura, that treathened to split the very ground beneath them in two... the blade in his side, the one in his hand, dripping blood...)_

But Itachi had been insistent. Something about owing a visit to their family. Sasuke thought he owed little to them. His mother had been kind and loving, just as he remembered Shachi to be, towards their children. His father... Uchiha Fugaku had been anything, but a good father.

_(He had never really been there with Shachi. Not often, pursuing plans of power, trying to ruin what his father and Asura had built. But when he was there, then those short days were always spent with his children, loving them, teaching them. And at night, he would embrace Shachi, as if his life depended on her presence...)_

Sasuke sighed softly and methodically worked his way trough their mother's grave. There was no sound around him, only the soft shuffling of his kimono. His clothes were the exact replica of what he had worn in his first life, on a daily basis — but with how much had things had changed, the old Ōtsutsuki robes fit as today’s ceremonial wear. Besides, he felt oddly nostalgic... wearing the very same clothes he had worn as a teen back then. Everything was as it had been then... only his hair was shorter, significantly so...

 **{** Once more, he was reminded of his _hair crisis_. He wanted his long hair _back_! It was longer now, he could actually tie it back in a small ponytail–could he call it that?– with a strip of white bandage, but it was far cry from the long, majestic cylinder he had had. **}**

It was strange, he mused. Even with another life in the picture, he thought of her– of Uchiha Mikoto– as _Mother_... But then again, he had only fleeting memories of Ōtsutsuki Adya. She'd died in childbed fever, after all.

When he was done, he took a few steps back and Itachi appeared next to him, probably having finished with Shisui’s grave as well. 

Sasuke hummed, remembering the prayers his father had once mentioned, meant to honour the ancestors, while helping the souls to find peace.

Old, forgotten words were those... Yet he remembered them as clear as day, now. Words of the Ancient Tongue... spoken by the Ōtsutsuki before their grandmother, Kaguya settled in So no Kuni.

**_“Tonight is the night of spirits. Tonight I seek thee, ancient ones. Hear my words of repentance. Thine mistakes shall not haunt thee, for they are mine alone. Rest in peace now and watch over those, who will come after. Tonight is the night of spirits and after this, thee shall find quiet and rest.“_ **

Itachi looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “What was _that_? I didn’t know you spoke... another language.“

Sasuke gave a small smile, gently wrapping his hand around his brother’s wrist. “That, ‘tachi, was the ancient language of the Ōtsutsuki. Our mother tongue. You know, Obā-sama spoke a different language before she came to Earth and met the humans. This was that language.”

Itachi gave him a shocked look, but it’s edge was taken, as he shivered a bit. Sasuke instinctively flared his chakra and his brother scooted closer. “I like that your chakra’s so warm.“ Itachi muttered.

Sasuke smirked. “A side effect of the Shiroi Hōno.“

He perked up when he felt it. That _presence_. His eyes roamed the memorial grounds, eyes bleeding into red in seconds. He gently tugged Itachi behind him, protectively — that presence felt _chilly_. Not exactly malicious... but it wasn’t of this worldl either and...

_“Sasuke-kun?“_

He froze when he heard that voice. It wasn’t Itachi... but he **knew** that voice. Sasuke shifted a bit and his Sharingan fell on his mother. Next to her stood one stern, yet shocked Uchiha Fugaku. Shisui and Izumi were also close to them.

 _“You can see us, can’t you?“_ his fath— no, he just couldn’t call that man his father. Not anymore.

“Sasuke?“ Itachi asked, “Do you sense something?“ his brother glanced around confused and wary. “Is it Zetsu?“

 _“Zetsu? Who’s Zetsu?“_ Shisui asked. _“And can’t Itachi see us?”_

Sasuke’s stomach was rolling. That prayer... it was supposed to help the spirts **rest** and not call them here! He sallowed hard. “Onī-san.“

Itachi looked at him and Sasuke watched numbly, as even more spirits appeared. “What is it?“

“Activate your Sharingan and do not let go of me. With the link...“

“Link?“

“Shinju damn it, ‘tachi, just **do** as I say.“ he growled softly. Itachi gave him a concerned look, but then his own black eyes turned red, glowing softly in the dark. Sasuke carefully wrapped his chakra around the older.

Itachi raised his gaze and....

“Okā-s-san?“ Itachi whispered, eyes widening slightly.

Their mother smiled. _“So you can see me now, son? See **us**?“_

“Yes.“ Itachi nodded numbly, his voice a breath in the chilly night. “Sasuke, what the hell did you **do**?“

Sasuke sighed. “I kind of forgot about the prayer’s side effect. Sorry.“ he settled on the cold, wet grass, proper and regal as ever. Itachi remained standing, their hands still linked.

 _“What’s going on here?“_ Shisui asked, _“I remember dying and...“_

“You are still dead.“ Sasuke said calmly, “It’s rememberence night. And my prayer happened to call your spirits here.“

Their mother quirked an eyebrow in interest. “ _Since when do you pray, Sasuke-chan and... why is there a shadow above you? Like another person.“_

Sasuke’s lips twitched. “I’m a Jōnin now, Okā-san. Do not call me that, please. And I think you might be...“

 _“Indra-kun? Is that you?“_ another voice called. This one was sweet like spring wind and powerful, like a storm, chiming with an accent – old, forgotten by now– that he thought he would never again hear. _“Where am I? And... why haven’t you come to the Pure Lands?“_

Sasuke sallowed hard and turned a bit. A few feet away stood a beautiful woman, her hair black-blue like the midnight sky and her eyes like obsidian. Beside her stood three children, altough all of them grown – not children anymore... And there was a baby in her arms...

“Shachi.“ he called, shocked to see her. Their children — Jayanta, Devasena and Vali— stood flanking her. There was a baby in her arms, one he didn’t remember. His Sharingan lingered on the quiet little bundle. “And...?“

Shachi swept closer– her steps entirely soundless–, their children on her heels, their faces full of shock and joy. She knelt in front of him. _“Your youngest — Arjuna. I... we...”_

 _“There was a sickness, moons after you died on the battlefield.“_ Devasena said quietly. Sasuke growled.

“I... I’m sorry, Shachi. I should have been there.”

 _“It’s not your fault, Indra.“_ she said.

Sasuke snorted. “Like on the moon it’s not. If only I’d listened to Asura... we wouldn’t have been... it should have **never** been.“

_“He killed you and took what was yours and betray...“_

Sasuke’s glare settled on his eldest son. “You are talking about your **uncle** , Jayanta, so I warn you to watch your mouth, or the Shinju help me, dead or not, I **will** teach you a lesson about respect. My brother may have been a prankster, but he was **_wise_.“** he sighed, “Wiser, than I had been.“

His eldest ducked his head, looking suitably ashamed. _“Gomen’nasai, Otō-sama.“_

Sasuke twitched. It’s been so, so long ago... he’d forgotten that his own blood had addressed him the way he had once addressed his own father in childhood.

Someone cleared their troath and Sasuke was reminded of his more recent family. The shock and confusion on his parents’ faces was comical. He cracked a grin, despite the rather... morose situation. “You want an explanation?“

 _“Who are they?“_ Vali asked, his eyes bleeding into the Sharingan, which shocked his parents from the present.

Sasuke put up a hand. “Calm down, child. They are as much my blood —your blood— as you are. Your own children had children of their own and those of our blood formed a Clan and took a different name. Uchiha.”

 _“In what time we are, love?“_ Shachi asked.

Sasuke huffed. “A few thousand years after chakra was introduced to the world. These people definitely do not remember Ninshū or the Shinju.“

 _“Sasuke, what’s going on?“_ his mother asked.

Sasuke grinned wryly. “Reincarnation. Simple as that. They are my family form my past life.“ he said.

 _“Reincarnation?“_ both parties asked, with varied level of shock.

 _“And what kept you from the Pure Lands, Indra-kun?“_ Shachi whispered softly, _“Don’t tell me you and Asura...“_ she trailed off.

Sasuke grunted. “Oh, but **yes** , Shachi. Again and again, like the cycle of seasons. More and more bloodshed and hate and all stuck on our hands. On mine and my brother’s. Senju and Uchiha, forever at each others’ troaths, only because we could not agree. Because I did not listen to reason. And as time went on, people even forgot what Ninshū was. And now... look at **this** **.”**

Shachi’s ghostly gaze swept the yard and her eyes went wide. _“All the spirits...”_

“Our own blood and all of them dead... because of my jelousy. Because I and Asura could not agree. Hate is like a chain and what Otō-sama and Oji-sama had broken, we rebuilt it. That pain. That carnage. And now, only I and Itachi remain. The Senju and Uzumaki, of Asura’s blood are all gone as well. Only a girl, a woman and Asura, reborn in this life as well... only the three of them remain. Oh... wait no, there is another Uchiha. A mad one. He, who seeks the resurrection of the Shinju.“

 _“No.“_ his family whispered, horror appearing on their visage.

Sasuke chuckled bitterly. “But yes.”

 _“Sasuke what are you...“_ Shisui asked.

Sasuke glanced at Shisui. “Once, long ago when chakra just barely dawned on this world... I was another. I was Ōtsutsuki Indra, son of the man you know as the Rikudō Sennin. Mine and Shachi’s blood runs trough every Uchihas veins. Your eyes reflect mine, for _**I**_ was the one, who individually mainfested and used it first, trough all my life. And my otōto, Asura — was reborn as one Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto.“ he gave a pointed look to his parents, who both went wide-eyed.

 _“The Sage’s beard...“_ Fugaku choked.

Sasuke glared at him, “ **Careful** there. You’re speaking about the man, who gave chakra to this world and who raised me. Show some respect.”

The two parties eyed each other with some curiousty. _“And... what happed to Oji-sama?“_ Devasena asked softly. Sasuke smiled at his daughter — she was the one, who had been the most reluctant to partake in the hate and bloodshed. She had the best of him and Shachi, if he could say such a thing...

“Asura is hale and healthy this time around too. Goes by the name of Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, these days. He’s out on the other side of the village, on the memorial grounds of his own Clan. He remembers, like I do. Visit him, please. Time to mend what has been broken so long ago.”

Shachi gave him a strange look. _“Visit... are you sure?“_

Sauske sighed. “Shachi... all our blood are gone, save for a handful. Asura...Naruto... whichever you use, it’s **him...** if not for him I might just have snapped, a few years ago. He saved my life a few times too and in return, I saved his. We’re brothers. High time we started acting like that again. Visit him. We’re family too. Once an Ōtsutsuki...“

 _“...is always an Ōtsutuki.“_ his wife and children finished together.

Sasuke nodded. “Yes. Go. Visit him. He doesn’t bite, you know.“ he chuckled.

Devasena, being the most open, blinked up at Shachi pleadingly, _“Please Okā-san. Can we visit Asura oji-sama?“_

Shachi smiled after a moment. _“If your father says so, then yes. Hurry along, I’m sure it’s not far off.“_

Sasuke grinned. “You can’t miss him. His chakra is even more powerful, than before. Kurama’s with him as well.“

Shachi stopped dead in her tracks. _“W-what? How? In a village like this?“_

“He’s a Jinchūriki. Got the fox sealed inside him...“ Sasuke said quietly, “And don’t ask. Long story.“

She chuckled. _“I would imagine it is... with a few thousand years past.”_

Sauske hummed. “Very long, indeed.“ Shachi gave him one last nod and gracefully swept away, their children hurrying ahead, only for her to stop on the edge of the memorial grounds.

_“Indra?“_

He quirked an eyebrow. “Yes?“

She gave a gentle smile. _“Let me go. Live your life. Live **this** life. Find someone to love again. Shinju knows Asura was right about that one. About love, you know.”_

“Shachi...” he started, voice failing.

She shook her head a stern, but loving look on her face. _“Live your life... Uchiha Sasuke.“_ and then she was taken by a swirl of cold mist.

Sasuke groaned softly. “Gods know you were the only one, who got away with bossing me around, Shachi.“

Itachi snickered next to him. “Doormat husband...?“

“Shut it, Itachi.“ he grunted, “Shachi could be very, **very** persuasive, when she put her mind to it. About ten times worse, than Okā-san...“ he made a pointed gesture at their still-perplexed mother, “ever had been. And she hadn’t been willing to go trough with the blood ritual, so she never had the Sharingan, like my other followers, but trust me, she didn’t need it. Dangerous enough even without that.”

For a moment, there was silence between them.

 _“So... reincarnation?“_ Shisui asked. A few other spirits came closer as well. Sasuke recognised them as those close to his parents and some other aquantinces of Shisui and Itachi.

Sasuke huffed. “Yes. Yes, Shisui, reincarnation. Let’s say I’m not as old, as I look. Well at least, not as old, in spirit.”

 _“So you should be an old, grey man with long beard and gotage like...“_ Izumi poked him in the ribs, with a sharp look.

_“Shisui! If he’s really who he says he is —and he’s never had such good imagination, to come up with something like this,— then show some respect!”_

Sasuke cracked a faint grin. He could just barely remember, seeing Izumi now and then, always around Itachi. He stole a glance to the side and even now, the two were stealing one another loving looks, even with a world between them. (It was painfully so much like him and Shachi...)

“It’s quiet alright, Izumi-san. If he hadn’t tried make a joke out of it, I would be concerned, dead or not. Not making a comment was like saying Itachi doesn’t want to eat pocky... or dango.”

Itachi rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with some sweets, now and then, Sasuke. What’s with you and sweets?” he asked exasperatedly. Sasuke rolled his eyes in turn, causing their family to chuckle softly.

As Sasuke’s eyes landed on his — their father— the man looked saddned. An odd sight, really. From what Sasuke could recall, his father had been stoic and distant. His old, Zetsu-influenced self would have patted the man on the shoulder for said behaviour. Now...now he just wanted to scowl at him and give a piece of his mind to Fugaku about _how to be a father_. He had been a father too... and not even Zetsu’s infulence could change the love he’d felt for his children. Perhaps he’d been distant with Shachi... more and more distant, as the years went by, but never once had he made differences between his children, due to their gender or order of birth. All three of his children had been equal, in his eyes.

_(It had been something — the only thing, perhaps— he had paid attention to. To never treat his children differently. To never discard either of them, as he had been... He had hated his father and had sworn to destroy Ninshū, but at the same time, he had sworn never to be like the man had been. Even when busy, he tried dedicating some time to his children and tried treating the three the same way, so they would never have to feel the bitter, cold, furious **hurt** , he had faced, when Asura had been declared Heir.)_

_“Sasuke... I’m sorry...”_

“Don’t even start.“ Sasuke cut in sharply, “I know, what it’s like to be a father, surely, you realise that? I despised my own father at one point. I wished Asura’s death, so I could take everything from him.“ he sighed, “But even when anger and jelousy had blinded me, my children came first. And I had **never** made a difference between them, based on their age, gender or talent as **you** have.“

Fugaku winced and Itachi gave him a look, his voice sharp... **“Sasuke...”**

Sasuke’s Sharingan took a sharp turn, his eyes narrowing on his brother and Itachi fell silent.

 _“I’m sorry.“_ the former Clan Head said again.

Sasuke groaned softly. “Let’s just... get over that. I just wanted you to know I wasn’t as much a fool, even as a child, before I remembered my past, than you thought me to be. And... I think a lot of the general Uchiha attitude to **everything...** was kind of my fault. We didn’t really consider the conseqences of our actions with Asura... at the time. And I’m sorry for the mess I’ve left you in.”

 _“You’re still our son, no matter what.“_ his mother said and then she moved forward and hugged him, bringing Itachi into said hug as well. _“And we’re as much at fault, if not more. That had happened a long ago. Our mistakes... or rather not doing anything, was more recent. We should have been firmer with the Elders. We should have stopped it. You shouldn’t have had to come home to... that and Itachi shouldn’t have had to chose between his loyalty to the village and his loyalty to the Clan.”_

A moment later their father joined as well, a sad smile on his face. Sasuke leaned closer, letting their cool, ghostly presence fill his senses. Spirits didn’t have chakra but chakra was made up of spiritual and physical energies, so a part of them was still familiar. Old, deeply burried memories resurfaced. The warmer, happier ones and he let them fill his mind for a moment.

Tonight was the night of spirits. Tonight was the night to forgive. To let the dead rest in peace and for them, who still lived to start a new chapter in their lives. He would forever remember the dead... but he would never again make the same mistakes.

After a few moments, they pulled apart and Sasuke felt himself more at peace. More at peace with the **past** — in every sense of the word. His childhood past as well as the one, from another life.

Then, he sensed another few spirits. One was a faint presence, but the three others were stronger and remarkably like Asura. _“Indra.“_ a feminane voice called, soft yet firm at the same time.

All of them turned and Sasuke’s lips twitched upwards. Kanna and her children stood a few feet away, dressed in the old, traditional garbs of the Main Family of the Ōtsutsuki. Her grey eyes glinted in the moonlight, as if she were still alive.

“Kanna.“ he greeted with a nod. Her children stood around her, her arm linked with her sole daughter. He took a step closer, watching their reactions closely. Kanna’s grey eyes held no anger. Only genuuine care — the care one felt for a husband’s brother, he supposed.

Then the children did the same — they took a step closer, leaving their mother the farthest. His younger nephew seemed the most enthusiastic to see him. Still, despite their curiousty and enthusiasm they bowed. Not the proper-perfect way his own children... no. There was some sort of playfulness in the action, but he could also see their respect.

 _“Indra oji-sama.”_ they greeted together. The boys’ voice firm, yet calm and his niece’s as melodic, as Kanna’s.

He smiled at them, **trully** smiled — the way he’d smiled at Asura, when they were children,— causing their dark eyes —as dark brown, as his and Asura’s had once been,— to go wide. “Come here, you three.” he made a gesture.

The three hesitated for a second and then he was enfluged by their hugs, as firm and loving, as his otōto’s. If they were alive now, he would have been concerned about being choked... _“It’s good to see you, Oji-sama.”_ the youngest — Taluna — murmured.

“And I’m glad to see you.“ he breathed. For a moment, they were silent and then, as they let him go, he looked at them sadly. “I’m sorry. It... **that** shouldn’t have happned. It’s my fault. You should have never been dragged into what had happened between your father and I.”

“ _No, it’s not.“_ his niece said, _“It’s as much our fault, too. After your both died, we made the same mistakes. Instead of sitting down and discussing it, sharing our pain, we just fueled that bloodshed and hate.”_

 _“We’re as much to blame.“_ his older nephew agreed with a small nod. _“We’re sorry. After all, Otō-sama taught us Ninshū, like Ojī-sama had taught you two and... we ignored that. Even when Otō-sama followed that path, we ignored it after you two departed the world of the living.”_

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. This night was more draining — emotionally speaking— than energising or calming. “You should have nothing to apologise for, in the first place. We made the mistake first. We showed you the bad example. You just reacted to the situation we left you in... just like Jayanta, Devasena and Vali. So, I believe it is us— it is **me** , who owes you the apology. No child should bear the consequences of their parents’ folly, yet it is exatly, what had happened again and again, trough way too many generations. Gomen’nasai.“ he bowed his head towards them, “I hope you can forgive us— forgive me, that is.”

Taluna hugged him again and had he been a breathing person, the force of his hug would have forced him to take a step back. _“You’re fogiven, Oji-sama.“_ he glanced at his siblings, _“Right?“_

The two others smiled widely,— a gesture that reminded him of his brother— and nodded. _“Yes. Forgiven.”_

“Arigato.“ he breathed and held them close for a second, before he becknocked Kanna closer. She moved soudlessly, yet it was like he heard the ruffling of cloth on the wind, as he stepped away from the children and gave her a brief hug, too. “Gomen’nasai, Kanna.”

 _“You’re forgiven, Indra.“_ she said. _“Just... take care of him, for us? Alright? I know he has someone. It’s fine. He lives a different life and his happiness is all I could ever want. But you were the constant in his life. Before... and now. Even when you were apart, he still cared for you...“_

The words stung a bit... perhaps because he knew they were true. No matter how much he had turned away from Ninshū, from their family... Asura had never stopped caring. Asura had after all, sworn to reincarnate for the exact opposite reason he had.

_(His father lay on his deathbed... he rememered that night visit. He remembered swearing to destroy everything that was Ninshū. And he remembered the pull, the **binding** that was his wov. And now he knew, that probably in their father’s last moments of life, Asura had sworn the exact opposite. To make him see reason, to make them stand side by side again.)_

“I know, Kanna.“ he said quietly. “And I promise you... no, I swear, **I swear on the Rikudō,** that nothing ever will stand between us again. He’s my most precious person and no amount of meddling will steer us apart, from now on.”

She smiled and her children crowded around her again, holding onto one another, to show just how tightly knit they were. Asura had always been like an open book, when it came to his feelings and it seemed, his family were the exact same.

That, Sasuke mused, hadn’t changed one bit. Naruto was still the same. Boisterious, mischevious, loving... or stormy and angry so much, that such anger rivalled that of the kami... whatever the Senju felt, it was there for the world to see. And for them to feel— for when Asura was happy, it lit up the whole room and his anger could take down an entire village...

 _“Farewell.“_ they whispered.

Sasuke’s lips curled upwards, another weight lifted from his shoulders. “Rest in peace.”

The chakra and mist came, whirling wild and visible in the dark night, taking them away. Sasuke’s eyes travelled to the horizon. Slowly, light was making it’s way onto the edges. Dawn was not far away and soon, the spirits will depart for another year. Sasuke shook his head and looked at his parents and the other members of his close family, who’d watched in quiet interest.

 _“So... I take the pretty girl was Naruto’s wife? And his kids?“_ Shisui asked.

Sasuke scowled a bit. “That **pretty girl** as you said, cousin, was my former sister-by-law indeed... so I advise you to watch what you are saying. Or I may just tell Naruto and knowing him, he’ll find a way for you to pay for those words, even in the afterlife.”

His mother paled a bit whacking Shisui in the shoulder with a glare, reaching behind Fugaku. _“Take that back, Shisui. Gods know neither Kushina nor Minato were to be taken lightly, when angered. I fear to think what their **son** is like...”_

Shisui paled — altough Sasuke had no idea, how a spirit **could** do that... and flailed in panic. _“Gods. No! **Please** , Sasuke-chan don’t tell Naruto! Please don’t...”_

Sasuke’s Sharingan narrowed and he scowled at his favorite cousin. (Or maybe **former** favourite cousin, since Shisui still thought of him as a toddler?) “Since you just **dared** to call me ‘-chan‘ I’m really tempted to tell Naruto about it...”

Shisui panicked even more. _“Wh-what?! No! Please, **have mercy!** Please, Sasuke! I don’t want the angry son of two S-rank shinobi on my heels! And... the worst is... said son just happens to be the reincarnated son of the Sennin...“_ he shivered, _“Please, have some mercy...!”_

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright. Just **stop** whining, cousin. I won’t tell him.”

Shisui’s shoulders dropped with relief and he sighed. _“Merciful Sennin...“_ he murmured.

Sasuke rolled his eyes again and there was a chuckle behind them. _“I don’t think, **my** mercifulness has anything to do with that decision, Uchiha Shisui.”_

Sasuke froze. The others, who were there all looked up and their eyes went very, very wide. Even from their expressions, Sasuke knew **who** was behind him, just where he could not see. That presence... that presence was just as powerful and unique as he remembered it from so, so long ago. Itachi looked at him and his whole body twitched a bit, his eyes widening a little. In this situation, Sasuke thought that his older brother’s reaction equalled a full-blown panic attack from Naruto.

Sasuke took a deep, calming breath, just as **he** called out. _“Indra-kun.“_

Very slowly, Sasuke turned to face him. His father had changed nothing. It was as if time had completely stopped for him. He looked the same as he remembered the man from **that** night — the night he had sworn to destroy Ninshū. He looked the exact same, not a hair out of place. Deep wrinkles marred his face, the long kimono fell around him elegantly, his reddish-brown hair just as spiky, as his and Asura’s had been. Actually... Naruto’s was still the same.

_(He remembered being a child and spending his days in the sunlit meadow, fishing with his brother and then their father calling out to them, that it would be time to return to the compound. His tone was just the same then...)_

He was reminded of another, time of another life... more sharply and clearly in that moment, then ever before. Of another time, another life, another family... Their eyes met. The glowing red of his Sharingan against the calm wiseness of the Rinnegan. He had his own fair share of power, as the son of the very man, yet even that power and talent was but a tiny flame, compared to **his**. Perhaps Asura in his prime, could be compared to their father... but no. Even his otōto had addmitted, that his power was almost insignificant, compared to their father’s.

A moment later he was snapped from his thoughts and he found himself kneeling in front of the man, like so many times in their teenage years. _(The only time they sat opposite their father, when everyone could see, was the time, when their father had assigned them the mission to determine, who would be the Heir.)_

“Otō-sama.” he breathed softly, words carried away by the cool breeze.

He didn’t even know, what he felt, upon laying his eyes on the man once more. **That** night _(“I will destroy Ninshū. Nothing of your legacy will remain and the humans of this land will remember **me.** Fools are the ones, who think love can solve this world’s problems.“ he’d said),_ he had felt anger. That night he had been angrier, than ever before.

Now... now he just felt sadness and shame. All his life, he had worked for the man’s approval — oddly enough, the only thing he shared with Asura from the very begining even if he was unaware of it at the time, was the fact, that both of them sought his love and approval— and now...

... now he knew it was a failure. Not his failure, not even Asura’s. But theirs. It was **their failure** , for they had wished the same thing and had failed the same way and even today, when their faces and names were different, they regretted that failure. Of course, they didn’t allow that failure to taint their life, no, they wanted to set things right too much for that. It was just... that even now, when they worked for something better, something worthy of the man’s memory, their father’s shadow loomed over them. They wished to right their mistakes and make him proud, but even side by side, the doubt was there in their hearts, even if unvoiced. They feared failing him **again** , like they failed him the first time.

The man sighed softly. _“Rise, Indra.“_

Sasuke’s breath hitched at hearing his name. There were times, **rare** times, when Naruto called him that, times when he called the blonde by the ancient name... but it was different. It was different hearing that ancinet name from his siblings, than from the very man, who had given it to him.

“Ot...“ his breath hitched, his voice failing him for the first time in years. He wanted to say so many things and one night would never be enough. He doubted a lifetime would be enough, to tell the man all he wanted– tell him how sorry he was, how foolish his actions had been, how unworthy of an Ōtsutsuki... “Otō-sama...“

 _“Rise, child.”_ his father insisted, voice steely yet getnle. Oddly like Asura’s was, when he was being stubborn, he noted, as he slowly stood, looking at the man again.

“Gomen’nasai... I...“ he bowed his head.

 _“I should be the one apologising to you.“_ his father said. _“There were many things, I hadn’t considered at that time. It’s my fault.”_

“ **We** were the ones, who fought. Who twisted Ninshū, in the first place. It’s our— my fault.“ he said quietly.

 _“And I gave you the reason to fight.“_ his father said. _“You just said it yourself, Indra-kun. Children should not bear the weight of their parents’ mistakes.”_

Their eyes met again, ringed purple on glowing red, the tomoe dancing wildly, commiting the man’s appearance to memory. They were nothing if not stubborn, all of them were like that... and after a moment Sasuke shook his head. “It’s all our faults.“ he amended at last. “Yours, mine, Asura’s. Zetsu’s.“

His father chuckled. _“Just as stubborn as your brother, you know that?“_

He blinked. “You met him? Asura, I mean.“ he said and now, with the man in front of him, it was oddly easy to use the ancient names the world barely knew.

 _“He did the same as you did. But he mixed some of Kurama’s chakra and Nature Energy into the summoning, so it was easier to follow that. I visited him first. But once there, it was just as easy to find you. You have a lot of Kurama’s energy lingering around you. Much more, than before.”_ his father remarked almost... pleased?

Sasuke huffed, the shadow of a smile crossed his lips. “Probably because Nī-sama is sealed in Asura? And I spend **literally** 24/7 with him? And...” he shuffled a bit, awkward for a second, “we **might** spend a few nights sleeping inside the seal? You know, curled into his tails. He has nine, so he’s got one to spare for each of us and the other seven he can still use for himself.”

Behind them, his family — Itachi included — choked, once the meaning of his words dawned on them. That him and Naruto, slept in the seal space, curled into the tails of the strongest Bijū, as if he were a big, fluffy stuffed animal.

His father laughed softly. _“I can imagine. Altough, it’s interesting to think, that he would allow that indignity to happen.“_

Sasuke chuckled. “We all change with time, Otō-sama. And... I think he changed as much, as I had.“

His father shook his head. _“You’ve changed nothing. Indra-kun. You’re just as you were, when younger. Don’t think, I don’t know of the incident, when you sent Kaji running only because he had made fun of Asura-kun and then said you didn’t care for your brother.“_

Sasuke’s blood froze. He remembered that.

_(He was walking trough the Compound grounds, when he collided with his crying brother, who had tried downplaying the situation. He remembered ordering Asura to go to his room and the he remembered seeking out Kaji and his friends and giving them a piece of his mind. They never saw Kaji again...)_

“Uh... that...“ he sighed, “I lost it.“ he murmured, almost sulkily, “No one gets away with saying I don’t love my brother.”

His father chuckled again. _“See? You’re as you always were. And I’m glad for that — that you’re yourself again. The blame for what happens, lies with me. I had given Zetsu a chance to twist your thoughts.”_

“And **I** was the fool, who had fallen for it.“ he said. Their eyes met again and there was a short stare down, like always, when they didn’t agree on something. Then... just for **once,** they looked away at the same time.

Then, when their eyes met again, his father made a small gesture and Sasuke’s lips curled into a small, childish smile. He darted closer and his father let go of the shakujō and hugged him. Sasuke returned the gesture whole-heartedly, in a way he had only done, as a child. For a moment, spirit, chakra were solid to touch, as if his father were still alive. It was a strangely comforting thought. _“Gomen’nasai, Indra-kun.”_

“You’re forgiven.” he answered. There was a heartbeat of silence and his father’s grip loosened, but then, it was he, who held onto the man, just a moment longer. “Gomen’nasai, Otō-sama.”

_“You’re forgiven, musuko.”_

Then, they broke apart and Sasuke sighed. He felt lighter. Better. The things that had seemed to haunt him ever since that day in the hospital seemed pointless now. He had his family... if only a few of them...

But that was enough. He was happy. Content.

He had Itachi and Kakashi. Yamato and Tsunade too. Gaara, Shukaku and the other Bijū and their Jinchūriki. And of course, Naruto and Kurama, who were the closest. He had lost his family, yet he still had his family. It was fine.

“You can trust us.“ he said, taking a few steps back, “We’re going to set this right.”

 _“I know.“_ his father agreed.

Golden beams of sunlight stretched across the graveyard and touched his skin. It felt soft and warm. His eyes settled on his parents, Shisui and Izumi. The four of them, along with Itachi, sat completely frozen, still staring in shock.

On the edge, farther away, the other spirits whispered in shock and awe, ghostly gazes trailed on his father, who for them, had been but a legend in life.

 _“We’ll have to go.“_ his father said and then his Rinnegan settled on the other spirits, _“I’m afraid, I will have to take your kin as well, Indra-kun.”_

Sasuke smiled and he backed even farther away. Itachi stood up slowly as well, his brother’s Sharingan snapping between him and his father and Sasuke knew Itachi was torn between downright _gaping_ — but in Itachi’s defence, he had probably never expected to meet the Rikudō Sennin...— and being polite, as it was expected.

Sasuke gave one last look to his parents and cousins. Their faces were almost comical, so full of disbelief and shock. “Rest in peace.“

Their eyes snapped away from his father, onto him, but then chakra washed across the place, bringing with it a heavy mist, that swept over the graveyard, like a flood. He grabbed Itachi’s hand, as he felt his father’s power wash over everything. To ground his brother or himself, he couldn’t say... it was just comforting, to have phyiscal contact with someone.

Soon enough the chakra was gone and the golden rays of the sun broke trough the mist, like hot knife trough butter, dispelling it in seconds, as if it had never existed. As the graveyard fell quiet again, Sasuke let go of his brother’s hand and looked at him.

“Come on, Itachi-nī. We have things to do. It’s a new day, after all.”

As he walked out of the grounds, towards the Namikaze estate, the last whisp of wind tugged at his hair, like a loving pat on the head. He smiled.

He absently wondered what sort of breakfast would Naruto come up with, in honour of this new start today symbolised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ADYA is a Hindu female name and it means "first" or "the Earth".
> 
> The names of Indra´s family are taken from Hindu myths. :)
> 
> TALUNA is a Hindu male name meaning "young" or "wind". Note, that Taluna is the youngest child of Kanna & Asura.


	2. Varja and Spiral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal bold in the chapter means Kurama speaking, as always.

The Hokage Memorial was deathly quiet, as Naruto swept onto the grounds. The only sound was that of the shuffling of his ‘ceremonial‘ robes — well, _ceremonial_ in today’s sense of the word, with how archaic the clothes were. Back in his time, wearing these was normal occurnce.

Tsunade had paid a short visit here in the morning and she’d instead opted to stay by her parents’ and brother’s graves tonight. So he was on his own here. Just him and the closest of his family — his parents, his great-granduncle/aunt and great-grandfather.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had a memorial here as well, as a former Hokage, but per his childrens’ request he had been burried on Sarutobi Clan grounds. Tonight, Naruto supposed, his soul lingered with his family and not with his fellow Hokage.

Kurama — in a small, shade form— sat atop his head, his claws and tails curled into his hair and clothes. So he was alone tonight, save for his eldest brother’s company. Indra was at the Uchiha Memorial Grounds with Itachi. When he arrived, his gaze swept over the four big mementos and the two smaller, identical ones — made so it reflected that Mito and Kushina had shared blood, as Princesses of Uzu.

Naruto stopped before the stairs, so he had perfect sight of all the spots and he let his chakra wander around. Tonight, with the chakra threads between the worlds so strong, he really felt his family here with him. Tonight was a night of spirits. A night to repent, to mourn, to remember...

He just got ready to form the words, when he sensed the presence and heard the soft shuffle of fabric. The orange light of the fading sun was warm, but it was slowly giving way to inky black and blue — the colours of true, deep night. He knew that signature.

“Kakashi-nī?” he called trough the stretching shadows with surprise.

There was movement from the most recent of the memorials and indeed, the silver-haired Hatake appreared a sad/nostalgic look on his features. “Naruto. What are you doing here?“

“It’s rememberance night, Kashi. The spirits of the dead are the closest to us tonight. I know the significance of such occasions. Besides, I can be just a bit closer to my family now, than I usually am. But... I should ask you the same question.“

Kakashi hummed. “I came to visit your parents. You know, sensei kept my head above the water after my father died. Your parents became **my** parents too, at one point. There’s been even a talk of adoption... it’s just that sensei died because of the attack, before anything could be official. So... I can’t bear the Namikaze name.“ he shrugged, “But that doesn’t make them any less my family, than yours.”

“No it doesn’t.“ he waved Kakashi over, “Care to join me for a prayer?“

Kakashi arched an eyebrow. “Since when do you pray?“

Naruto chuckled. “Since I was a boy, playing in sunlit meadows barefoot and I had no real idea what the word **_war_** meant.“

Kakashi hummed in understanding and then joined him. He let his chakra wrap around his former sensei and then let it stretch across the place. He closed his eyes and as he did so, he was reminded of another life. Of a lesson.

A lesson their father taught them— to always be aware and to always honour their ancestors and their legacy. For even those, who’d departed, could come around again. And while the Ōtsutsuki were inter-dimensionals, who certainly didn’t belong to Earth, it didn’t mean the spirits would not visit those, who stayed with humans. Spirits had even more leeway to trespass veils and borders of dimensions. So they had learned from their father, hoping to learn from the wisdom of their Clan’s spirits too...

It was odd, to speak a language that had been forgotten so long ago. In fact, Naruto was sure by now, people didn’t even remember it had once existed, in the first place. **_“Tonight is the night of spirits. Tonight I seek thee, ancient ones. Hear my words of repentance. Thine mistakes shall not haunt thee, for they are mine alone. Rest in peace now and watch over those, who will come after. Tonight is the night of spirits and after this, thee shall find quiet and rest.“_**

Kakashi glanced at him curiously, his single eye conveying more confusion and curiousty, than words could. “Where did you learn another language?“

Naruto chuckled. “Not where, Kashi. WHEN. This was the ancient tongue of the Ōtsutsuki. Something that was among the first things Otō-sama had taught Indra and I, as children. The other lessons in Ninshū came after this. By now, probably we’re the only ones, who speak it. The Bijū, Indra and I.“ he said quietly.

“Oh... I see.“ he said with a small nod.

There was a long bout of silence between them, until Kurama perked up. **“Asura.“** he called.

Naruto glanced at his oldest brother with a raised eyebrow. “What is it?“ he asked, notincnig the rigidness of Kurama’s body and the way his eyes narrowed on a certain spots.

 **“Take some of my chakra....“** his brother said, as a single, small tail wrapped around his wrist.

Naruto hummed and allowed Kurama’s chakra to mix with his own more than it usually did. Immediately, his already sharp senses turned even sharper and Kakashi made a small, startled sound. Naruto shrugged and looked at the other. “What?“

“Y-your eyes are slits. And half red, half violet.”

Naruto hummed. “Expected.“ he looked around and his gaze froze, eyes going wide with shock.

There, in front of each memorial, stood the person burried — or rather, the spirit of said person. And on the edges of the park, he could see others too. Spirits of Senju and Uzumaki, all of them gathered wandering the place. But his eyes lingered on the three Hokage and the two Uzumaki women.

 _“Naru-chan?“_ his mother called out in shock, _“Is that you?“_

“Okā-san.” he breathed, emotions welling up. He’d only met her briefly in the seal and now, there she stood, with all her wild, ghostly beauty...

“Naruto?“ Kakashi called in confusion, “What is it?“

He shook his head and looked at Kakashi. “Tonight is special, Kashi-nī. Rememberance night is always like this... you know, the spirit of the dead visit the world of the living.”

Kakashi nodded. “Yes, yes. I know. And... how does that involve Kushina-san?“

Naruto smiled. “They’re here, Kashi-nī. Their spirits. I can see them.” he said. Kakashi’s lone eye went wide and his gaze snapped towards the memorials.

 _“Can’t he see us?“_ Kushina asked, _“Wait, how can you see us, Naru-chan? And...“_ she made a hasty gesture at Kurama, _“What is **he** doing outside the seal? Aren’t you worried that he’ll go berserk again? And what in the name of the kami are you wearing...”_

“ ** _Okā-san_**.“ he spoke sharply, cutting her off. “Calm down, please. I will explain, altough I’m surprised Jiji and Oji-san hadn’t done so, already. Only Otō-san’s trapped with the Shinigami, after all.”

“Naruto?“ Kakashi called.

Naruto shifted a bit and looked at the Hatake. “Maybe it I share my chakra... you’ll see them too. But that means that you’ll get a little dose of Bijū chakra.“ he said and made a gesture at Kurama, “Do you trust us? **Both** of us?”

Kakashi gave a fleeting glance to Kurama and then nodded. “Yes. Completely.”

Naruto smiled as they joined hands. Kakashi’s breath hitched a bit. “Gods... so **heavy**.”

Kurama grunted. **“That’s** **Ōtsutsuki chakra for you. What do you think, how could the Uzumaki come up with jutsu like those damn chains? If not for Asura’s special chakra, which they inherited, half of what they were known for, wouldn’t even exist in the first place.”**

 _“If you say it that way...“_ Hashirama suddenly piped up _, “Makes me wonder just how much of your ways stuck with the Clans, after so long.“_

Naruto grinned. “A lot, I would say... which is calming. Altough... the way the Uzumaki isolated themselves is a bit upsetting. Maybe if they were a bit more open, Uzushio would not have gone down. Oh it’s not like they’ve gone down easily...“he huffed, “just... it shouldn’t have happened. Shinju knows I should not have taught Aksiti better.“

 _“Aksiti?“_ his mother asked. _“Who was she? And why are you dressed like that, Naru-chan?“_

Naruto smiled. “She was my second child. My daughter, once upon a time. And I think, her descendants formed the Uzumaki Clan a while later. My sons stuck together and that’s how the Senju were formed.”

His mother twitched. _“Gods... this reincarnation really makes things harder. You aren’t even my baby anymore...”_ she murmured.

 _“Kushi-chan...“_ his father tried, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Naruto chuckled and stood up, walking over to hug her. “But I am. I’m **_still_** Naruto. I’m still your son — I’m just... older. I used to be someone else too. But you’re my family, anyway. As for why, these are our old clothes. The daily ones, but with how much things have changed, they pass for ceremonial clothing, too. Which is good, cause I refuse to wear the Ōtsutsikis’ ceremonial clothes.”

Behind him, Kurama gufawked. **“Hahahaha, Otōto... you’d look really funny in them...”**

Naruto glared at his fox brother. “Queit Nī-sama or I swear, when you get back into the seal, I’m going to clamp it up so tightly, that the one Mito oba-san used...“ he made a pointed gesture at the perplexed redhead, “will be comfortable.”

Kurama flattened his ears against his skull. **“You wouldn’t do that... _Asura_...”**

Naruto matched his glare without a twitch. “Try me.” Kurama grunted and settled down.

 _“Did... you just call the Fox...“_ his aunt asked with wide eyes.

Naruto nodded. “Yes. He is, after all, my brother. I carry the blood of the man, who created him and once upon a time, we played in the same forest. Only cause Madara went nuts and did what he did... the Bijū aren’t monsters, Oba-san. They have feelings too. They’re very much like you or Otō-san or Okā-san. I understand, that people fear what they do not know and what has more power than them... but does that mean people have to hate it?“ he sighed, “If people judge by power, than Indra and I were almost like gods to them and our father was surely called one.”

Hashirama gave a small snort. _“I have a feeling you and Sasuke have more uder your belt, than Madara and myself ever did. And they called **us** gods.“_

“Oh, they are on the way to that.“ Kakashi piped up, “Both Naruto and Sasuke have a Bingo Book page of their own, known for subduing the Sanbi no Ishigame in Kiri. Landed them an A-rank and a bunch of monikers, with an ‘approach with caution‘ order.“

 _“WHAT?“_ the five of them exclaimed and some of the other spirits, who also linered close, stopped to stare at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

 _“Holy... damn...“_ murmured his father in shock, _“You’ll end up with an S-rank much sooner, than your mother or I, you know that, Naruto? Both you and Sasuke.”_

Naruto cracked a grin, as he hugged his father too. “I know. But... we counted on something like that happening.”

 _“Impressive.“_ his great-grandfather said, as Naruto moved over to him. _“Now I wish even more that I could be here. Watching your progress like that would be most interesting.“_ then, he grinned widely _, “And we could go and wreck havoc...”_

Naruto cackled. “Ah yes...”

 _“NO!”_ Mito and Hashirama called out at once, panicked looks on their faces.

 _“I won’t allow you near any pranking equipment, Tobi!”_ the Mokuton-user said firmly, _“ **Especially not** with Naruto-kun nearby.”_ Naruto huffed and hugged his great-ucle too, who patted his head. Naruto hummed, snuggling closer. _“Eeh?!“_

Kurama chuckled. **“Indra used to do that sometimes. Still does, from time to time, in fact.”**

 _“Oh... I see.“_ Hashirama murmured, blinking.

“Shut **up** , Kura nī-sama.” Naruto murmured, as he reluctantly peeled himself away from his great-uncle. Even as a spirit, Hashirama’s presence was similar to his own and that similarity was strangely comforting.

Naruto stopped, standing face to face with his great-aunt and fellow (former) Jinchūriki. The woman smiled kindly and her ghostly fingers traced his Rikudō Byakugō. _“What do we have here, hm?“_

“Tsunade oba-san taught me a few of the more modern medicine and she wanted me to have a look at the Byakugō. I ended up improving it. She almost fainted, when I told her.“ he cackled.

His great-aunt smiled proudly. _“A Fūinjutsu prodigy, then no?“_

Kurama snorted in the background. **“Don’t be _ridiculous_ , woman. If not for Asura-kun’s dabbling in the Art, you and your Clan would have _never_ grown so good. It was Asura, after all, who taught Aksiti.“**

The spirits all looked at Kurama with warying degrees of shock and Naruto sighed. “Nī-sama. Please be kind, okay? They’re still my family. You don’t have to like them, just be tolerant.”

Kurama rolled his eyes, but didn’t speak again.

 _“What brings **you** here, Kakashi-san?“_ his great-grandfather asked. _“Aside form the fact, that Minato was your sensei.“_

Naruto shifted a bit, just in time to see his mother let Kakashi free from a hug. “Well, they’re kind of my family too. Naruto and Sasuke definitely. They really made it easy, to see them as family... and I owed a visit, I think.”

 _“You didn’t really **owe** us, Kakashi-kun.“_ his mother said, _“But it’s nice to see you and hear, that you kept an eye on Naru-chan for us.”_

Naruto huffed with a faint smile. “I’m a Jōnin now, Okā-san. Don’t call me **that**.“

His mother’s violet eyes narrowed. _“You’re my baby boy dattebanne! Nothing changes that, so I get to call you that, no matter what.”_ she fumed.

Naruto groaned, looking at the now-darkened sky. “Great, saint Rikudō... what have I done to...”

_“Now, now Asura-kun... what have I taught you about such language?“_

Naruto froze. Only **one** person would use such a tone with him. Looking at his family members, he saw their faces those of shock and disbelief. His mother was downright gaping and his great-uncle’s childishly wide, shocked eyes were also funny. And, Naruto noted, his father’s round eyes were very much like Hashirama’s. Mito and Tobirama were more composed, but the wide eyes and the slightly parted lips gave their shock away.

Kurama was also gaping, maw on the floor, his ears flattened against his head in shock. Clumsily (not that there had been too many times, when Kurama had been clumsy), his eldest brother staggered to his feet. Kakashi looked liked he might pass out from shock.

Slowly, Naruto turned towards the voice and indeed... just as he thought, it was his father, Rinnegan trailed on him.

 _(For a moment, he was a little child again, looking at his father with childish admiration, clinging onto his kimono and his horn, as they walked trough the dirt path, down to the lake, into which the river flowed, Indra on his other arm. And there, by the lake, where the moon reflected and he could almost touch the shining silver circlet, there their father told them stories of the_ _Ōtsutsuki... taught them their traditions...)_

 _“Hello, Asura-kun.“_ his father greeted again and for a moment, Naruto found himself tongue-tied. The wise, powerful eyes bore into his own slits and his chakra spiked with all the emotions he was feeling.

_(He stared at his father in shock, not wanting to belive what he had heard. He — **him** , as the Heir of Ninshū, even though Indra was older, Indra was more talented... but his father’s face was calm and final...)_

Disbelief and sadness churned at his insides _(and just a bit of anger — his father **should** have let him seek out Indra, maybe then Zetsu would have never laid hands on his precious older brother and **maybe** then, it would have never been... that bloodshed would have never come)_, freezing his very being. Then, as his mind finally processed, what was going on and he knelt in front of the man, like so many times before.

“Otō-sama.” he whispered, shock, joy, sadness, reverance and so, **so** many emotions in that one word.

 _“Rise, Asura.“_ his father called gently.

Naruto sighed softly and slowly rose. “I failed. Indra...”

His father raised a hand and Naruto fell silent. _“It was not you, who had failed, Asura, but me. I should have been more cautious and I should have never let you make that promise.”_

“I took over for you.“ he whispered, “It was **my** responsibility. Besides, he was **my** brother.”

 _“And **my** son.“_ his father returned, _“It was never your fault, musuko. Nor was it your responsibility. Instead of listening to Gamamaru, I should just have followed my own heart, like I had always told you to do. I should have paid more attention to you two.”_

“ **We** started to fight.“ he said, “And look at the bloodbath it created. Our lines paid the price for our stupidity.“

 _“Your lines, child, paid for my ignorance...“_ his father said, _“And that is the greatest mistake of my life.”_

Naruto gave a small snort. “No. Our Clans paid for my failure. After all, Indra’s words of vegeance...“

_“...were meant for me, Asura. **Never** for you. Indra may have turned away from everything I taught you, but had you remained quiet, he would have taken over my death, forcefully that is and he would still have cared... if you were not a treath.”_

“And we both know, that no matter how much I love Nī-sama, I would not have let him do it. I would **not** have let him turn into a tyrant or let him lock up the Bijū, because that’s what he’d been planning.” he growled out.

 _“I’m aware of that.“_ his father admitted calmly, _“But did fighting solve anything?”_

Naruto sighed. “Nothing at all. People even forgot about Ninshū and now... now that lunatic’s out there, trying to resurrect Obā-sama.”

 _“Again, that is something you should have never dealt with.“_ his father said, _“Neither you, nor Indra. I should have been more cautious, when leaving the Stone Tablet for Indra’s descendants.”_

Naruto huffed and sat on the ground again. “You couldn’t have known it will be tampered with... or that a lunatic Uchiha, madder than Indra had ever been, will **actually** believe, that recultivating the Shinju...“ he grunted, “Damn it all! We messed up and it’s all our fault.”

His father raised an eyebrow, but then he chuckled at bit. _“As stuborn, as your mother, are you aware of that?“_

Naruto smiled, sheepish and sad at the same time. “You never spoke of her, you know. I don’t even know her name.“ he whispered. “Not even Indra nī-sama would tell me. Not then and... not even now.”

For a moment, his father closed his eyes. _“Adya.”_

“Adya... wish I could have met her. But it seems, I’m always the one, who ends up losing things...”

 _“They...“_ his father looked pointedly at his current parents, _“are dead because of my mistakes and I’m sorry about that.“_

Naruto huffed. “It’s not like either of us saw beyond the deafeat of the other. We just thought about our situation. I... I think neither myself, nor Indra ever considered reincarnation...”

_“Indra did. He spoke as much.”_

Naruto perked up. eyes going wide. “W-what? When did he...?“

_“The night before my death. He swore to destroy what I stood for. Interesingly, he never included you there, but since you kept spreading my teachings, kept standing for my beliefs, you were caught in it. So you see, now Asura-kun? This was more between Indra and myself, rather than the two of you.”_

Naruto sighed. “We still should have had more common sense then... I should have noticed he was being infulenced from the very beggining. By the time we figured it out... it was too late.”

 **“But he’s back now.“** Kurama suddenly piped up, **“Kind and cute again, as he used to be, as a kit. So, it’s fine, no?”**

Naruto laughed, glancing at his brother. “Yes, I suppose it is fine, Nī-sama. Just don’t let him hear you calling him **cute** or you’ll find your tails burning.”

_“He hasn’t changed much, then, has he?“_

Naruto snorted. “Not a hair out of place. Still the same old Indra we know.” he said with a grin.

Their father chuckled. _“And you hadn’t changed either. Still as sunny as ever, with a penchant for pranks.”_

Naruto huffed. “Hey... I hadn’t praked anyone in ages! Okay, there was one... which included Nī-sama’s clothes, a pack of glitter and some dye, but...”

His father shook his head. _“You’ll never really grow up, will you?”_

Naruto shrugged. “Indra’s serious and blunt for the both of us. If I let him have his peace, he’ll grow into a grumpy old man, you know... much worse, than he had been when we were adults. I don’t think the world could survive a grumpy version of him.”

 **“I agree with Asura there, Otō-sama.“** Kurama piped up again. **“Those two really keep each other sane and happy. They _actually_ know this time, how to act like brothers.“**

Naruto rolled his eyes and scowled. “Oh, **quiet** now, Kurama.“

Their father chuckled. _“Don’t change then. The world will need your guidence and perhaps like this, side by side, you’ll trully suceed.“_

Naruto smiled. “We won’t fail you this time.“ he woved, voice like steel.

His father reached an arm out and Naruto grinned, immediately jumping into his embrace. A minute later, he felt Kurama’s presence right next to him. _“I believe you, Asura-kun.”_

Naruto hummed, snuggling just a tiny bit closer. “Have you visited him yet?

 _“No.“_ their father answered, _“Your and Kurama’s presence was almost like a magnet, perhaps because once, you’ve held my power. I came here first.”_

“Please go. He... I think he would be glad to see you.” Naruto said, as he drew back.

Their father nodded and smiled. _“I shall. I wish you luck, Asura-kun.”_

Naruto smiled and dipped his head. “Farewell, Otō-sama.” then, he was gone. Naruto groaned softly. “Ah... I never thought we’d meet him like this.“

He turned to his family, who were staring at him with very, **very** wide eyes. His mother spoke first. _“Na-Naruto... was that...? Was that the...?“_

He grinned. “Aye, he was.”

 _“Asura-kun?“_ a new voice called, soft and shocked, yet overjoyed at the same time.

Naruto whirled around and his eyes fell on a beautiful woman, wearing the old clothes of the Ōtsutsuki, her grey eyes reflecting the moonlight, her long black hair cascading down her back. His eyes went wide. “Kanna-chan.” he breathed in disbelief.

Around her, stood their children— Kundira, Aksiti and Taluna— all of them grown and beautiful and strong, not the way he remembered them. Not as he remembered them— young and full of hope to see their uncle as he had described him, to live with their cousins and to learn Ninshū the way he had— yet still the same.

He smiled widely and approached, as the children bowed to him. _“Otō-sama.”_

He paused for a moment and chuckled, opening his arms. “Come here you three.”

The children crowded him, their ghostly touches like a freezing breath of an ice-user. _“Why hadn’t you come, Otō-san?“_ Taluna asked, as he kept clinging to his kimono. _“Why hadn’t we seen you again?”_

“You know well why, child.“ he said with a sigh, “I’m just sorry, that what has been between myself and Indra had in the end, spread to you as well. Neither you, nor his own family should have known that pain.”

 _“It’s fine, Otō-sama.“_ Kundira said, as he took a step back, _“We...“_

“It’s **not** fine, Kundira.“ he sighed, gesturing behind him. “Look behind me, musuko. **Look**.“

Their eyes darted behind him and Akisiti raised an eyebrow. _“Wh-who are these people?”_

“They’re **our blood** , child. Your brothers’ families and followers grew in strenght and they formed the Senju Clan, with time. And your blood, Aksiti-chan,— I think your grandchildren— later split from them and formed the Uzumaki Clan. And the dispute between myself and your uncle turned into the longest, bloodiest feud history has ever seen, for no Senju or Uchiha could live peacefully, once they set their gazes on one another. And now all our Clans are gone, taken by the bloodshed and hate we’ve spread. Only a few remain from all three.”

His family’s eyes went wide at that. _“No...“_ Taluna whispered, _“This couldn’t have...”_

“Oh, it **had** happened.“ Naruto said.

They all looked at him and then hugged him again. _“We’re sorry.“_ they murmured at once.

Naruto chuckled. “I should be the one to apologise... but it’s over now. Indra’s back too, reborn as I was. And... it’s over. We’re at peace now.”

 _“Are you?“_ Kundira asked, just a touch skeptical.

Naruto sighed a bit. “Yes, we are. So please, visit him. No matter the time, we’re still family and I’m sure he would appreciate it.”

His children paused and then looked at Kanna. _“Okā-san...“_ Aksiti spoke, turning to Kanna, _“can we seek Indra oji-sama? I would like to meet him.”_

Kanna smiled and nodded. _“Yes. If your father says so, yes.”_

Naruto took a few steps back, letting the three go and then after a few smiles and waves, a swirl of mist took them away. Kanna, however, remained lingering, just a little bit longer. His eyes flashed with pain — once he had loved her. A part of him **still** loved her, but this was a different time — a time, where she didn’t belong. This was a different life. “Kanna-chan... I...”

 _“You have someone, don’t you?“_ she asked softly, knowingly.

He hummed, the admission leaving him strangely numb. “Yes.”

Her grey eyes didn’t change, but her gaze serached his for a long moment. _“Do you love her?“_

It was an easy question. One he could answer without hesitation. He knew what love was and he definitely loved Karin — her shyness, her fierceness, her caring nature. A lot like Kanna herself, in some ways. “Yes, I do.”

She nodded. _“Then be happy.“_ she turned away, _“Be happy and live your life to the fullest... Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.”_

As she disappeared into the mist, Naruto backed off and into the ghostly embrace of his mother. _“So... a married man, huh?“_ she asked with a sharp look, but there was a faint, mischevious grin on her beautiful face.

Naruto gave her a shrug and a small grin. “If I hadn’t been married, you and many, many others would not have lived, Okā-san.” he pointed out, which caused her to roll her eyes and his father to laugh.

 _“And I hear you have a girl this time too?“_ his father asked.

Naruto grinned. “Yeah. Her name is Karin. She’s an Uzumaki. Her parents escaped the Fall. We saved her and two others from Orochimaru. Now they’re shinobi of Konoha.”

 _“An Uzumaki?“_ his mother asked with wide eyes, shock and hope glinting in her eyes.

Naruto nodded with a humm. “Yes. An Uzumaki. We... I think you could say we’re dating.“

_“Is that you... Asura?“_

Naruto whirled around at the sound of his ancient name. Few knew it now, so it had to be an old spirit... and true to his thoughts, there they stood. His brother’s wife and children. He smiled and slowly walked closer.

“Shachi.“ he greeted softly.

The black eyes followed his every move, before she nodded too, with a tiny smile. _“It’s strange you know. Both of you look so different... yet I can tell it’s you. Indra too...”_

Naruto hummed, as his nephews and niece came closer. “Kurama had said as much.” he said, stealing a glance at the wary kitsune. Then, as he looked back at the other half of his family, the three children bowed. Forever proper, every bit like Indra... when he was in a good mood, that is.

 _“Asura oji-sama.“_ they greeted at once. 

Naruto hummed and gestured at them. “Drop the formality, Shinju damn it. How long had it been since I’ve seen you? Come here...”

Almost reluctantly, the three walked closer and Naruto hugged them, holding them close. It was odd, because right now, the three looked older, even though **he** was older. Sigh, reincarnation really messed with one’s head. He looked at the children and he recalled it... he recalled the day he’d heard the news for the first time, years after Indra has stopped even ackowledging him, outside a battle, that is.

 _(He was just making his way back from a village, to the_ _Ōtsutsuki Compound, when he heard a few men speaking. He could tell from their clothes, that they were from a farther land and travelling somewhere. He didn’t stop them, nor did he call out. But he followed a safe distance away, just to make sure they would not cause trouble. That was when he’d heard. The warlord of the neighbouring land — the **Tsuki no Uraishi** , as people called him— had a son. A Heir and that his wife was healthy as well. **Indra**. Indra was growing in strenght and so were his family... it brought him joy, to hear of the birth of a nephew, but it caused him pain, that perhaps he would never see the boy...)_

 _“We’re sorry, Oji-sama.“_ Jayanta whispered, ducking his head. It was oubvious, that as the oldest of the three (four, but the youngest had never even had the chance to truly **live** ), Jayanta wished to take responsiblity for what had happened, but it was not right.

It **wasn’t** right, Naruto thought, becuase the blame didn’t lay with Jayanta — or his siblings. It didn’t lay with Shachi or Kanna or his own children. The blame was his and Indra’s in a way. In another way, it was their father’s mistake. But most of all, it was Zetsu’s fault...

Naruto sighed, holding them close just for another moment, before letting them go. “You have nothing to apologise for, Jayanta. The blame lies with myself and Indra... but most of all, it lies with Zetsu. In fact, it is **us** , who should apologise, for leaving you naught but pain, bloodshed and hate, upon our deaths.”

 _“And we should have known better, than to continou that fight.“_ Devasena pointed out.

Naruto hummmed. “Perhaps. But... it’s over now. You don’t have to worry about that anymore. We’re family now — again.”

 _“And it is a relief to hear.“_ Shachi said, as her eyes darted over to the spirits behind him. _“Your desecendants, Asura?“_

Naruto glacned at his parents and the others— who were all studying Shachi and the children with verying levels of curiousty—, before looking back at Shachi with a sheepish grin. “Yes. And in this life, my direct family.”

She nodded. _“I heard from Kanna, you found someone again.“_ he gave a brief nod and she continoued, _“Does Indra have someone? Is he happy?“_

“We’re content, as we are, Shachi... but I think... he wants a family. No matter how much he would deny it and play the stoic one in front of everyone, we both know **what** he’s like with family.“

 _“So he doesn’t have anyone?“_ she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto shook his head. “No. I think a part of him is still holding onto you. A part of him parhaps thinks he’d failed as a father... or he just doesn’t want the same mess to happen with his descendants, as it had recently. He’s got his emotional walls up so high, that I doubt any woman could get past.”

She frowned a bit. _“This is a different life... he should be happy...”_

He sighed. “You think we hadn’t tried mentioning it? He keeps brushing it off. Well there is a girl... one from a different village... but he’s still himself. And I think even when he didn’t mean it, the girl thought the worst of him.”

She gave a small snort. _“Sounds a lot like when I met him. And then we got to know each other....”_

“Yes. But... he’s reluctant to let her even close. More so than he was with anyone else, so far. He wouldn’t let his line die... but he’s still too... **himself** , just to simply addmit he likes the girl.” he huffed, crossing his arms.

Shachi rolled her eyes. _“I do hope at least the girl’s got spirit, or he’ll break her to tiny little pieces.”_

Naruto smirked. “If I didn’t know better, I would say she was an Uzumaki... of the fiercer sort. She’s a good fighter and got spirit too. Sharp tongue for sure.”

She chuckled. _“Then... tell him to stick with her, if he really fancies her. I wouldn’t let him have some shy, stammering country girl, who would agree to everything he says. That wouldn’t do good for him.”_

He chuckled. “I know that, Shachi... and she’s not the kind. She’ll fit him, if only he sallowed his pride a bit.”

Shachi rolled her eyes. _“The girl would have to work, if she wants to know, what’s he like, beneath that coldness.“_

“For sure. But it’s fine. It’ll do good for both of them.“ Naruto said. “And... I’m sure he’ll be happy, in the end.”

Shachi nodded, as her children crowded around her again. The sun was slowly rising, banishing the darkness and giving way to another new day. _“Take care of each other, Asura. Farewell.”_

He hummed. “We will, Shachi. We will. Farewell.”

As Shachi and her children disappeared, Naruto turned back to his family, who had been watching the exchange with interest. _“So... she was Sasuke’s wife...?“_ his father asked with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto grinned. “Yeah. A caring mother and a fierce warrior, even without a Sharingan of her own. One, who fit him well.”

 _“Hope your girl is also like that.“_ his mother said with a grin.

Naruto chuckled. “Yes, Karin is like that, too. I’m sure we can be happy for very long time. Maybe... I can even have a family with her.“ he shrugged nonchallantly.

His family laughed. _“Just don’t rush it too much, Naruto_.“ his father jabbed, _“Reincarnation or not, you’re still young. Enjoy life.”_

He nodded. “I’ll try.”

 _“And never forget we love you. No matter what, we love you.“_ his mother whispered, pulling him into an unexpected — and tight, from a spirit— hug. He smiled and snuggled close.

“And I love you all.“ he said, throwing looks at the others too, from above her shoulder, which earned him smiles and grins in return. A few moments later, he let his mother go and walked up to Kakashi. Kurama shifted, watching the spirits with keen gaze.

 _“Take care of each other, Kakashi.“_ his father said.

Kakashi chuckled and his former sensei’s hand found its way to his shoulder. Naruto threw him a look, before glancing back at his family. “We will sensei.“ Kakashi promised. “These two are like family and I’ll be damned, if I let anything happen to them... not that they need much protecting.“

That caused the others to laugh and Naruto allowed himself a tiny smirk.

 _“Take care of each other,“_ his great-uncle said, after a heartbeat of silence _“and take care of Konoha for us, too.”_

Naruto nodded. “We will, Hashirama oji-san. Rest in peace.”

As the golden light of the sun slowly flooded the Memorial, the spirits disappeared and Naruto felt his senses dulling, just a little. The brif opening between the many worlds was now closed. Earth once more belonged solely to the living. He glanced upwards and his eyes met Kurama’s, who gave a small grunt.

**“I thint it’s time to go back to my seal, before someone sees me and freaks out.”**

“Good idea, Nī-sama.” he agreed. Kurama seemed upset just for a little, about having to go back to the seal, but then, even before Naruto could be sure that he’d seen the sulky expression on the vulpine face, his eldest brother was gone in a small plume of white smoke.

He smiled and glanced at Kakashi. “Come on, Kashi. Time to go back. Hmm... mind fetching Yamato and Obā-san?“

“No... but what for?“ the dog summoner asked.

“I thought we could have a small feast. I’ll get the food ready. By the time you and Indra-nī make it back, it should be mostly done. If not, we can do it together. Remembering the dead is nice and respectful and all... but we, who are alive, have to spend time together too. Just us. No mission or crazy world-dominating Uchihas.”

Kakashi chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Sure thing, Naruto. I’ll bring them along.”

“Good.” he said, as the older disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto stopped and stole one last glance at the Hokage Memorial, before disappearing in a swift swirl of water. He had to make breakfast for the family, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Asura´s children...
> 
> KUNDIRA is a Hindu male name meaning "strong, powerful"  
> AKSITI is a Hindu female name meaning "imperishability".  
> TALUNA is a Hindu male name meaning "young" or "wind".
> 
> As always, please leave comments. Thank you very much... and happy Halloween for all of you! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments and share your thoughts! :3
> 
> Now, a little bit about actual Japanese traditions and their way of remembering the dead:
> 
> Obon (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist–Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon Odori.


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